Stranded in France, Any clever suggestions?
Discussion
JD said:
I am currently sitting in the car aboard the Eurotunnel.
I will put up a proper post a bit later, where I will disclose some even more ineptitude and lack of planning on my own behalf.
Sufficed to say that three unbelievably kind and helpful people have put time and effort into helping a complete stranger and I cannot begin to thank them enogh.
Piston heads has quite literally saved the day
Nice one O.P, was it Woody that came out? was he in his Merc?I will put up a proper post a bit later, where I will disclose some even more ineptitude and lack of planning on my own behalf.
Sufficed to say that three unbelievably kind and helpful people have put time and effort into helping a complete stranger and I cannot begin to thank them enogh.
Piston heads has quite literally saved the day
To everyone involved
your standing 10 foot tall today on here. 
Afternoon all followers, well-wishers and Nay-sayers. I have time to write up a proper reply and I am braced and ready to receive my berating for being a complete twonk.
First up, my AA coverage is a 20 year old family policy and I had no input into its purchase, I thought it contained euro cover but did not check, (I even turned down the euro breakdown cover offer from my insurance co. when they asked!)
I got the best text message ever from Dan (W00dy) on Sunday morning saying he had picked up the stuff from Craig (Rallycross) and he was on an earlier ferry than planned and he would be in France by 10am. I was elated, so I thought I best go unload the car and get the locking wheel nut key out of the boot… Of course it wasn’t there, and whatever garage the car last went to (new brakes maybe) had not returned it. I felt sick by this point and thought I was back to square f
ked.
Behind the scenes you will see above that David (Sunbeam Alpine) offered some assistance with a car trailer, and I can say that he both offered to help me out by trailering me to Calais if need be, and also got one of his friends of a friend who happened to live in Arras to see if he can help me out. David was busy and had a job to do and even took his trailer with him in case I needed the lift to the terminal so he could get to me quicker, all of this was on a Sunday morning and having a bloody decent chap to bounce ideas off over the phone with helped my mental state no end so David I am unbelievably grateful for all of your help. The chaps that turned up weren’t able to help me out until tomorrow when their garages would open up.
At about midday, Dan arrived in relaxed style in his Merc estate loaded with biking gear heading for the Alps, and a spare wheel from Craig, who also kindly donated a Trolley Jack and Wheel brace. Dan, I owe you a massive favour and a crate of something or other when you get back! We discussed options for getting it off involving hammering the wheel brace onto the locking nut, but I dismissed them due to this normally only working with a 12 point socket not a 6 sided one.
It started to rain, we had to check out of the hotel and I was sitting in a smelly car stuffed with holiday stuff now bolstered by a massive spare wheel in the cabin. I ran over the conversation with Dan in my mind and looked at the wheel brace, and it had nice sharp flats and a 22mm socket which was vitally not opposite to the one for the main wheel bolts. I thought fk it, worth a try. My GF who luckily speaks French disappeared into the hotel reception and emerged instantly with a hammer. I decided the 22mm socket was the target and hammered on the other end of the brace like my life was dependant on it, this made hotel guests appear from everywhere wondering what this idiot was doing in the car park hitting a wheel with a hammer. The socket after much beating went all the way over the nut. Moment of truth…. The nut loosened with ease, and I spun it off and said to my GF triumphantly, “we’re going home”. I stuck the spare on, stuck in 4 bolts, tightened them as much as I could and limped to Calais, stopping at every stopping point to check the bolts weren’t loosening. I had to pay £87 to the tunnel because of the missed departure but by this point I could smell the U.K so didn’t care.
So there you go, firstly I am an idiot. Secondly, I am an idiot. Thirdly, the Pistonheads community is amazing.
First up, my AA coverage is a 20 year old family policy and I had no input into its purchase, I thought it contained euro cover but did not check, (I even turned down the euro breakdown cover offer from my insurance co. when they asked!)
I got the best text message ever from Dan (W00dy) on Sunday morning saying he had picked up the stuff from Craig (Rallycross) and he was on an earlier ferry than planned and he would be in France by 10am. I was elated, so I thought I best go unload the car and get the locking wheel nut key out of the boot… Of course it wasn’t there, and whatever garage the car last went to (new brakes maybe) had not returned it. I felt sick by this point and thought I was back to square f
ked.Behind the scenes you will see above that David (Sunbeam Alpine) offered some assistance with a car trailer, and I can say that he both offered to help me out by trailering me to Calais if need be, and also got one of his friends of a friend who happened to live in Arras to see if he can help me out. David was busy and had a job to do and even took his trailer with him in case I needed the lift to the terminal so he could get to me quicker, all of this was on a Sunday morning and having a bloody decent chap to bounce ideas off over the phone with helped my mental state no end so David I am unbelievably grateful for all of your help. The chaps that turned up weren’t able to help me out until tomorrow when their garages would open up.
At about midday, Dan arrived in relaxed style in his Merc estate loaded with biking gear heading for the Alps, and a spare wheel from Craig, who also kindly donated a Trolley Jack and Wheel brace. Dan, I owe you a massive favour and a crate of something or other when you get back! We discussed options for getting it off involving hammering the wheel brace onto the locking nut, but I dismissed them due to this normally only working with a 12 point socket not a 6 sided one.
It started to rain, we had to check out of the hotel and I was sitting in a smelly car stuffed with holiday stuff now bolstered by a massive spare wheel in the cabin. I ran over the conversation with Dan in my mind and looked at the wheel brace, and it had nice sharp flats and a 22mm socket which was vitally not opposite to the one for the main wheel bolts. I thought f
k it, worth a try. My GF who luckily speaks French disappeared into the hotel reception and emerged instantly with a hammer. I decided the 22mm socket was the target and hammered on the other end of the brace like my life was dependant on it, this made hotel guests appear from everywhere wondering what this idiot was doing in the car park hitting a wheel with a hammer. The socket after much beating went all the way over the nut. Moment of truth…. The nut loosened with ease, and I spun it off and said to my GF triumphantly, “we’re going home”. I stuck the spare on, stuck in 4 bolts, tightened them as much as I could and limped to Calais, stopping at every stopping point to check the bolts weren’t loosening. I had to pay £87 to the tunnel because of the missed departure but by this point I could smell the U.K so didn’t care.So there you go, firstly I am an idiot. Secondly, I am an idiot. Thirdly, the Pistonheads community is amazing.
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